Dumping-car



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OASSIUS R.- SHEPLER, OF PITTSBURG, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO L. E. CLARK, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

DUMPlNG-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,962, dated January 25, 1881. 7

Application filed June 15,1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OASSIUS R. SHEPLER, of Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping- Oars for Railroads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of cars known as dumping-cars for railroads.

It consists in the construction and arrangement of the traveling screw-head, its frame, and pivotal shaft with the dumping-car body, the guide-plates, hooksfand compensatingsprings, all as will be; more fully hereinafter described and shown.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation, plainly showingthe bearing T-irons and the compensatin g'spring-chains. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, showing the dumping-body centrally in position, the traveling screw-head in the center. This figure also shows the side hooks holding the hinged sides in position. Fig. 3 also represents an end elevation; but in this instance the dumping-body is tilted and the traveling screw-head shown at the end of the guide. Fig. 4 is a vertical central transverse section of the car with the body dumped. Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the dumping-body in" perspective. Fig. 6 is a plan view, in perspective, of. the guide or bearing plate. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of a part of the body, but ismore particularly designed to show the sliding operating screwhead, the relative positions of the working screw, the pivotal longitudinal shaftin its bearin g in said screw-head and in the T-irons, and thespringcompensatingstay-chain. Thecatchtilting hook embedded in a slot is best seen in Fig. 4, by'which the further side movement of the dumpin g-car body is arrested. The operating-screw, the cross-section of the longitudinal bed, and supporting block's'or sills are also plainly shown in this figure, also the end'of the shaft upon which the body pivots.

The bearing-plate is preferably located at the middle of the platform-frame. It will be seen that said plate has a central groovef'ormed in it, in which the T-iron slides. V or other shaped grooves may be formed, if preferred, and, if desired, the T-iron may be pivoted in the center, by which the irregular movement of the body to the side of the car is provided for.

A is the movable dumping-body of the car. B are the trucks, of the ordinary construction.

0 are the sills of the longitudinal frame. These sills 0 run parallel the length of the car, and are located nearer together than in the ordinary construction. By this means the frame is narrowed, so that when the car is to be dumped the dumping-pivot will be considerably inside of the wheels, thus distributing the Weight of the car-load, preventing it from resting entirely on the axle-bearings of the dumping side.

D is the grooved guiding-plate, and is pro vided with indentations or countersinks on each of its ends, into which the hooks or catches g automatically drop just before the car is tilted. The plate and hooks each perform a double function. The plate forms a guide as well as an auxiliary support for the body when it is dumped. The hooks serve as an auxiliarysupport for the body, as well as to assist the chain in dumping the body of the car.

The car is adapted to be dumped on both sides, as shown in full and dotted lines on Fig. 4. Therefore both sides of the car are alike.

The cross end beams or bolsters E are of the usual width and length, and upon these end beams the operating-screw F, its traveling screw head or nut G, and frame H are located. Upper and lower grooves or tramways are made for the guidance of the screw-head, and a corresponding tongue or projection is made on the screw-head, by which it is kept securely in position and from slipping laterally. The ends of the screws F are journaled in the end of the frame; but said ends project from the side of the car, on which are placed cranks a or other devices for turning said screw.

Between the end beams are placed three or more cross-beams; butthese are much shorter than the end ones, so as to allow the car to be dumped before it reaches the outer edge. Upon the said cross-beams are placed bearing or guide plates D, each of which may be provided with a groove, b, of any approved shape, and in these grooves b the lowerpart of T-irons 0 rest. These same T-irons serve both as bearers and braces for the movable dumping-body A. The said T-irons 0 may be seen best in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

Should it be desired, the plates 1) may be centrally pivoted, so as to allow a slight circular movement, which is essential when one screw is turned faster than the other. It is evident, for the smooth working of the parts, that they be kept oiled or lubricated.

As may be seen on the inverted bottom in Fig.5,ashaft. I,runstheentire length and some inches beyond the end of the dumping-body. The extended ends 1' arejournaled in one side of the screw-head 1*. (See 1', Fig. 7.) This shaft also runs through holes in the guide T-irons, and serves, by means of the traveling screw-head, to carry back and forward the movable dumping-body, and also the pivot on which the body turns when dumped, the shaft being secured to the body by bearings j. attached to end pieces, m. The T-irons are continued the same size and shape up the sides of the car, so that when the sides are let down, the ends of the T-irons being squared, they serve as bearings for each other, and in this way the side is made to serve as a continuation of the inclined bottom of the car when dumped, thus aiding in dumping the contents of the car well away from the track.

I have shown one of the T-irons provided with hooks or catches g; but all of them may be so provided, if found desirable. I also make in the grooved guide and bearing plate an oblong tapering hole or indentation, It, into which the said hooks automatically drop just before the body is tilted. They also serve the purpose of assisting the pivotal barin sustaining the weight of the car-body, and also assist the spring-chain in dumping the car, as shown in Fig. 4. When the car is straightened up the hooks g are readily pushed out of the beveled hole by the motion imparted to the body in bringing it back to the center of the car-frame.

Attached to the side of the truck, one at each end, are fastened compensating spring chains K. The spring-chains also serve a double purpose-i. 0., when the car-body is to be dumped they arrest the further side movelnent of the car, acting in conjunction with the screw devices. While the screw is pushing the springs are pulling, and thus the car is forced down on one side and up on the other. The springs other function is that when the two screws are not evenly turned the car-body travels faster at one end than the other. Thespring-chain,beingflexible, yields to the motion of the car, and thus straining of the parts is prevented. Ordinary eyebolts and hooks secure the hinged sides in position.

Angle-irons m, forming end pieces, secure and stitTen the ends of the car-body.

It is evident that this improvement may be applied to any of the well-known platform or gondola cars.

It is also evident that the dumping-car may be applied to the various industries to which it may be adapted with good results.

Operation: The car-body being in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, cranks or other turning devices are applied to the ends of the screws and turned to cause the car-body to move to the side to which the load is to be dumped. The chains on the opposite side being detached, when the car reaches a point about equal to two -thirds of one half its width its movement is arrested by the staychains on the dumping side, one end of which is fastened to the truck and the other end to the car body. The screw continues to be turned, the body gradually rising on the inner side and lowering on the outer or dumping side, until the inclination is sufficient for the load to slide off. To allow this movement of the body the ends of the bearingplate are beveled 011' to correspond with the inclined position of the car-body; but before the car-body reaches its dumping position the hooks g fall into the oblong hole and perform their functions in assisting to dump and then sustaining the weight of the car-body.

It will be observed that this dumping-body rides solidly in its frame. and in a perfectly horizontal position, as if it were rigidly fastened to the frame, so that there is no shaking, twisting, or getting out of place.

Having now fully described my invention and its operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combinatiomin adumpingcar, of the end cross-beams, E, frame H, screw F, extending the entire width of the car, whereby the contents of the body may all be dumped on either side, screw head or nut G, and shaft 1, all arranged to operate in the manner set forth.

2.. Thecombinatiomin adumping-car, of the end crosspieces, the intervening guide and bearing plates, shorter than the said cro sbeams, said plates being provided with grooves b and oblong beveled holes h, the T-irons cot the body, and hooks or catches g, all arranged as set forth.

3. The combination,in a dumping-car,of the frame having cross beams provided with guide-bearing irons, the screw-heads, forming journal-bearings for the tilting-shaft, the compensating stay-chains, by which slight lateral motion is provided for, the hooks or catches g, and the hinged sides provided with angleirons corresponding to those on the body to which they abut, whereby the side, when the body is tilted, formsacontinuation of the bottom of the same, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

OASSIUS R. SHEPLER.

Witnesses A. R. LEE, it. B. KENNEDY. 

